A Late Morning Kickoff: So you wanna be a Sporting?

Have you always wanted to try your hand at being a soccer player? Have you ever wanted the opportunity to maybe get paid to be a soccer player? Are you over 18? Do you have $200 handy? And transport and/or proper American paperwork?

Then you might want to tryout for Sporting Kansas City, who will hold open tryouts on March 12-13 at the team's Swope Park Training Center. For more info, go

• The always on-the-ball Thad at The Back Post caught up with Sporting KC head coach Peter Vermes this week before he jets off for the MLS Combine this weekend.

On the team's draft strategy:

"With the reserve league returning, they need to add more players in different spots. It's hard to find forwards, real attacking players out of the college game. It was almost a no-brainer for us last year when Teal was still available, that we had to take Teal. Certain situations where when players are available that it is not how they fit into the team, but also who is the best talent at that time. Another piece is the Generation Adidas tag, it is huge when that guy does not hit your salary cap. You have to take into account who is available when it is your pick."

He has much more, including Ryan Smith's status (working on U.S. citizenship), and the contract status of Michael Harrington ("We're kind of close") and Luke Sassano ("Just a formality of sending something to the league"). Read the full story

• The first dress rehearsal for Qatar hosting a major international soccer tournament kicks off this Friday when the tiny Middle Eastern country hosts the Asian Cup. Japan, South Korea and Australia are among the favorites. [Source:

• Sporting KC striker Sunil Chhetri is one of the many injured players that might scupper India's hopes of advancing in the Asian Cup. There are also reports of coaching conflicts to boot. (By the way, I think

"scupper" is a word that needs to be used more often. I'm of course using the second definition and not using it as a nautical term.) [Source: The Associated Press

]

• Last week's Arsenal-Chelsea match was the most-watched Premiership game in U.S. history. [Source: